Jiving with Joy!

Kory and I dancing the jive on board the MS Zuiderdam

How to not gain weight aboard a 12-day cruise with food available 24-7:

1) Only eat at prescribed mealtimes. (Exception: add extra meal if up after 11pm, particularly if dancing.)

2) Take joy in everything around you--smiling burns serious calories!

3) Dance for at least 2 hours nightly. (Doesn't matter if you're good or not, just that you're having fun.)

I'm not sure if we actually gained weight or not (as we've thrown out the scale in our house), but all our pants still fit, so the rules must have some validity! Rule #3 was the most important piece of the puzzle for us; we danced with more variety, more enthusiasm, more energy--and for more time!--then we have in our entire seven years together. With two incredible on-board bands and several dance floors to choose from, how could we not?!

But the unexpected surprise came in the guise of Holland America's new program: Dancing with the Stars: At Sea! Though Jeff and I don't watch the ABC show, my parents were quick to fill us in on the basics. As far as we were concerned, though, the excitement wasn't in the name brand but in the opportunity to take jive, samba, and cha-cha classes with the professional dancers on board the ship. What we never saw coming? That we'd be selected as two of the final six guests to perform (with those "pros") on the last night on board, in front of a packed house. Sadly, Jeff and I couldn't perform together (since we were both guests); happily, we became quick friends with our professional partners, Kory and Steph. (Yup, did you put that together? Kory and Tory, Steph and Jeff. Adorable, right?)

So, what you're seeing at the top of this post is Kory and Tory, dancing the jive! (The excellent videographer is my beloved husband, whose laugh you get to hear towards the end as he enjoys my facial expressions.) This was one of our rehearsals; sadly, we neither filmed the finale nor any versions with Jeff dancing--but I wish you could have seen him, because he won over that audience with a few shakes of his hips and winks of his eye. In fact, he was so darn cute that the audience couldn't help but cheer him into first place--which means he's now in the running for the big finale cruise in 2014! (Kory and I came in third, and, for once in my life, it didn't make a bit of difference that I didn't win--it was too much fun just being part of the adventure!)

The next trick? Finding local places to do some swing, foxtrot, and cha-cha--'cause we need to keep fitting into our wardrobes!

One additional note: without the tremendous generosity and unending love of my mum and dad, this trip--and, therefore, these experiences--would never have been possible. Mum, I know you're reading, so I'm wrapping my arms about you in gratitude and love!